Koden, once a city, now a village lies on the left bank of the Bug River, in Poland, about 10 miles south of Brzesc and 26 miles from the border town of Terespol (the crossing point to Brzesc and the Belarus Republic). The town is pronounced "KAW-dane" by the Polishpeople and pronounced "KUD-na" by the Jews who once lived there. (The city got its name  from a battle cry, TO DEN;" IT'S THE DAY ", later corrupted to KODEN.) It was founded in 1511 by the Sapieha family, famous in Polish history.The village houses a Seminary and is known for a painting OUR LADY OF GUADELUPE (now OUR LADY OF KODEN), which was pilfered from Rome in the 17th century.In 1864, according to Polish sources, the village in 1864 was home to 1,588 Christians, 792 "Old Testamentarians" (Jews), 9 brick and 251 wooden houses. In 1939 there were 541 Jews living in Koden. All were led out of town by the Nazis, and shot. If any managed to get across the border to Russia and escape , noone I have contacted has ever heard from them. The Jewish cemetary is no more. The Nazis used all the tombstones to put on the dirt roads so their tanks could travel easier. What remains is a large empty field ( fenced in by the Polish government).From the records that I have translated, I know a few more facts about the Jews of Koden. Koden was a 'service' community of Brzesc and the surrounding larger cities.Most of the trades were tailoring, furriers, shoemakers, etc. Their records start in 1810 but I have determined that they were living in Koden as early at 1725. They intermarried with the towns of Biala Podlaski, Brzesc, Terespol, Lomazy, Radzyn Podlaski, Miedzyrzec Podlaski, Slawatycze, Wisznice,Wlodawa, Janow Podlaski, Kobrin and Domacheva. In 1855 the death toll was triple the average. I have no idea if it was the result of disease or a pogram. The years 1865,66 and 67 very few births , marriages and deaths were recorded..The next few years all the vital records from those years were entered. Whether the reason for this was political turmoil, or war, I don't know. Then in 1873 there was a cholera epidemic that tripled the number deaths in the Jewish community.

Ajzenberg, B.- foodstuffs, provisions

Ajzman,Ch.-blacksmith

Apel, B- foodstuffs, provisions

Berman, F.- foodstuffs, provisions

Blat, J. – hair stylist

Blumenkranc, -saloon

Blumenkranc,P.- foodstuffs, provisions

Bronszttein, L – tissue paper

Czerk, L. –oil factory

Dorlich- saloon

Drabinko, Sz -pharmacy

Fereman,Ch.- foodstuffs, provisions

Finkelsztain, G. –baker

Finkelszteyn, T.-carpenter

Frydman- saloon

Gelbert, Sz. – foodstuffs, provisions

Geldman, S.- blacksmith

Gelerman- saloon

Gelerman, P. –food stuffs, provisions

Goldberg, P- butcher

Goldberg, P. - baker

Goldberg, R –haberdasher

Goldgur,J.- blacksmith

Goldwaser- haberdasher

Gotlib, I. –blacksmith

Gruman, L.-saddler

Gruman, S.- foodstuffs, provisions

Jakimowicz, J- mason

Jakimowicz-windmill

Kerszanbaum, -blacksmith

Kranc,B. – foodstuffs, provisions

Lejderman, D. –blacksmith

Leszczynski, J.- barber

Lew, Z- foodstuffs and provisions

Liwczec, M –baker

Margulis, Sz-. Blacksmith

Marlender, J. -baker

Morgenstern, N-hides and skins

Najmark, N.-makes rubber for boots

Najmark, R- haberdasher

Nikon,-shoe repair

Novak,Ch -tanner

Pietrusich,G. windmill

Puterman, R.- foodstuffs, provisions

Rozenblat-hair stylist

Sapirszteyn ,B.- haberdasher

Schwarcberg –blacksmith

Schwarcman, L. tissue paper

Sieklucki, M- pharmacy

Silberwaser,B.-foodstuffs, provisions

Stolejska, -foodstuff and provisions

Szwacman, H.- oil factory

Tenenbaum-   cabinetmaker

Teperman, Ch- haberdasher

Wasilewsky,A.- windmill

Wasilewsky,S –haberdasher

Wiernik, L –tannery

Wigdor, Sz. –tailor

Wilkowcz,A – windmill

Zilberwasser, B- haberdasher

With many thanks to Gary Brzezowski